Class of 2018 Curriculum

The list below is the core curriculum for students at the College of Veterinary Medicine. Every effort has been made to make the list accurate as of the date of publication. However, all policies, procedures, fees, and charges are subject to change at any time by appropriate action of the faculty, the university administration, or the Board of Regents, State of Iowa. See policy updates for the most current information.

VM-4

The fourth year is designed to be flexible and to provide for species emphasis. Students must complete 44 credits during their fourth year. They must take a required block and one option block. The required block rotations are multi-species oriented and exist in all types of clinical practice. Preceptorship credit can be earned at approved government agencies, research laboratories, veterinary practices, and other approved university hospitals.

In several cases, students are given the option of choosing between two courses to meet a requirement. For instance, the required block equine requirement can be met by taking VCS 457 (Equine Medicine), VCS 464 (Equine Field Services) or VCS 458 (Equine Surgery). In such cases, students are given the opportunity to provide their preference in the schedule optimizer. However, there are not always sufficient slots to meet all preferences, so some students will not receive their first choice, but will be assigned to the alternative course.

To be awarded the degree Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, candidates must have passed all required courses in the curriculum of veterinary. Candidates must have earned at least 4 elective credits during the VM1-3 year on a graded basis of A, B, C, D while enrolled in the College of Veterinary Medicine and a minimum 2.0 grade point average in the veterinary medicine curriculum. Candidates must also have given a grand rounds presentation (VCS 495-Seminar).

Total Credits required during senior year: 44

Graduation Requirements: 158

See the following four options:

Small Animal Option

Required Block: (Total 20 Credits required of all students)

Course

Title

Credits

VCS 453

Small Animal Medicine

2

VCS 457/VCS 464/VCS 458

Equine Medicine (457)/Equine Field Service (464)/Equine Surgery (458)
(must have one equine course as assigned by the schedule optimizer)

2

VCS 460

Radiology

2

VCS 463

Primary Care

2

VCS 466

Anesthesiology

2

VCS 468

Intensive Care/Emergency Med

4

VCS 473

Small Animal Surgery (1 week Ortho and 1 week Soft Tissue)

2

VDPAM 477

Food Animal Medicine and Surgery

2

VPTH 456 and 457

Necropsy and Clinical Pathology (Taken together as one 2-week block)

2

VCS 495

Seminar (non-credit)

R

Total Credits

20

Required courses for Small Animal Option ONLY= 8 credits:

Course

Title

Credits

VCS 453

Small Animal Medicine

2

VCS 455

Soft Tissue Surgery (455)

2

VCS 456

Orthopedic Surgery

2

VCS 469

Ophthalmology

2

Selective Choices (Total = 0 credits required):

There are no selectives required for this track.

Electives (Total = 16 credits required):

Electives strongly recommended by the VCS Curriculum Committee for students planning on entering small animal or mixed animal practice include:

Course

Title

Credits

VCS 409

Oncology

2

VCS 441

Canine Rehabilitation

2

VCS 446

Neurology

2

VCS 452

Dermatology

2

VCS 475

Cardiology

1-2

VCS 482

Veterinary Dentistry and Oral Surgery

2

Electives may include external experiences for credit including: shelter medicine external electives (VCS 459 A, B, & C and VCS 439); preceptorships at private, corporate, ISU-affiliated, or public practices/institutions that fulfill the requirements for VCS 419 (Preceptorships in small animal or equine) for a maximum of 6 credits; and/or any other course offered by the College. Preceptorships, defined as learning experiences or time spent at a veterinary practice away from the College, must follow course guidelines to qualify for credit.

Students may repeat any course offered in the general core, required small animal track, or electives one additional time (above that required) for credit, depending upon availability and with permission of the instructor-of-record for that clinical rotation unless otherwise noted in the ISU Catalog.

Unscheduled Time Off (Total = 4 blocks [8 weeks]): This time will fall randomly throughout the schedule to allow time for interviews, unapproved preceptorships, additional rotations and/or personal time.

Small Animal Option credit summary:

Required = 20, Option required = 8, Selectives = 0, Electives = 16

Total = 44

Equine Option

**Equine option students, VCS 457 and 464 each must be taken at least once. One of the courses satisfies the overall required block requirement, the other satisfies the equine option requirement.

Required Block: (Total 20 Credits required of all students)

Course

Title

Credits

VCS 453

Small Animal Medicine I and II

2

VCS 457/VCS 464/VCS 458

Equine Medicine (457)/Equine Field Service (464)/Equine Surgery (458)
(must have one equine course as assigned by the schedule optimizer)

2

VCS 460

Radiology

2

VCS 463

Primary Care

2

VCS 466

Anesthesiology

2

VCS 468

Intensive Care/Emergency Med

4

VCS 473

Small Animal Surgery (1 week Ortho and 1 week Soft Tissue)

2

VDPAM 477

Food Animal Medicine and Surgery

2

VPTH 456 and 457

Necropsy and Clinical Pathology (Taken together as one 2-week block)

2

VCS 495

Seminar (non-credit)

R

Total Credits

20

Required courses for Equine Option ONLY= 6 credits:

Course

Title

Credits

VCS 457 or VCS 464

Equine Medicine (457) or Equine Field Services (464)**

2

VCS 458

Equine Surgery

2

VCS 471E

Equine Reproduction

2

Selective choices (Total = 12 credits required):

Selectives can usually be taken more than once. Choose from the list below.

Course

Title

Credits

VCS 447

Equine Veterinary Diagnostic Skills

2

VCS 452

Dermatology (repeatable by permission)

2

VCS 457

Equine Medicine

2

VCS 458

Equine Surgery

2

VCS 464

Equine Field Services

2

VCS 465

Farrier

2

VCS 469

Ophthalmology

2

VCS 471C

Comparative Reproduction

2

VCS 471E

Equine Reproduction

2

VCS 476E

Equine Anesthesia

2

VCS 481

Equine Dentistry

2

Electives: 6 credits required

Electives may include external experiences for credit (i.e., preceptorships) that fulfill the requirements for VCS 419 (Preceptorships in small animal or equine) or VDPAM preceptorships (VDPAM 420, 424, 466, 479, 482, or 485) or Zoo and Exotic preceptorship (VMPM 494) or any rotations offered in the 4th year. Preceptorships must follow guidelines to qualify for credit.Additional Time Off (Total = 4 blocks [8 weeks]): This time will fall randomly throughout the schedule to allow time for interviews, unapproved preceptorships, additional rotations and/or personal time.

Equine Option credit summary:

Required = 20, Option required = 6, Selectives = 12, Electives = 6

Total = 44

Mixed Animal Option

Required Block: (Total 20 Credits required of all students)

Course

Title

Credits

VCS 453

Small Animal Medicine I and II

2

VCS 457/VCS 464/VCS 458

Equine Medicine (457)/Equine Field Service (464)/Equine Surgery (458)
(must have one equine course as assigned by the schedule optimizer)

2

VCS 460

Radiology

2

VCS 463

Primary Care

2

VCS 466

Anesthesiology

2

VCS 468

Intensive Care/Emergency Med

4

VCS 473

Small Animal Surgery (1 week Ortho and 1 week Soft Tissue)

2

VDPAM 477

Food Animal Medicine and Surgery

2

VPTH 456 and 457

Necropsy and Clinical Pathology (Taken together as one 2-week block)

2

VCS 495

Seminar (non-credit)

R

Total Credits

20

Required courses for Mixed Animal Option ONLY= 6 credits:

Course

Title

Credits

VCS 452

Dermatology

2

VCS 469

Ophthalmology

2

VDPAM 488 and VDPAM 455

Clinical Microbiology (488 1cr) and D Lab (455 1cr)

2

Selectives: Group A (Total = 6 credits required):

Selectives can usually be taken more than once, but do not dually count. Choose from list below,
Or any courses listed as required selectives for the Food Animal or Equine Option.

Course

Title

Credits

VCS 457

Equine Medicine

2

VCS 458

Equine Surgery

2

VDPAM 476

Large Animal Ambulatory (prereq. VDPAM 310)

2

VDPAM 477

Food Animal Medicine and Surgery

2

Selectives: Group B (Total = 2 credits required):

Selectives can usually be taken more than once, but do not dually count. Choose from the list below and/or courses listed as required for the small animal option.

Course

Title

Credits

VCS 409

Oncology

2

VCS 452

Dermatology (repeatable by permission

2

VCS 453

Small Animal Medicine

2

VCS 455

Soft Tissue Surgery

2

VCS 456

Orthopedic Surgery

2

VCS 459A, B or C

Small Animal (Over) Population Medicine and Surgery

2

VCS 463

Primary Care

2

VCS 469

Ophthalmology

2

VCS 476

Anesthesiology

2

VCS 471E,S

Equine or Small Animal, Reproduction

2

VMPM 486

Public Health

2

Electives: 10 credits required

Electives may include external experiences for credit (i.e., preceptorships) that fulfill the requirements for VCS 419 (Preceptorships in small animal or equine) or VDPAM preceptorships (VDPAM 420, 424, 466, 479, 482, or 485) or Zoo and Exotic preceptorship (VMPM 494) or any rotations offered in the 4th year. Preceptorships must follow guidelines to qualify for credit.Additional Time Off (Total = 4 blocks [8 weeks]): This time will fall randomly throughout the schedule to allow time for interviews, unapproved preceptorships, additional rotations and/or personal time.

Necropsy (456) and Clinical Pathology (457) (Taken together as one 2-week block)

2

Electives: 10 credits required

Electives may include external experiences for credit (i.e., preceptorships) that fulfill the requirements for VCS 419 (Preceptorships in small animal or equine) or VDPAM preceptorships (VDPAM 420, 424, 466, 479, 482, or 485) or Zoo and Exotic preceptorship (VMPM 494) or any rotations offered in the 4th year. Preceptorships must follow guidelines to qualify for credit.

Unscheduled Time Off (Total = 4 blocks [8 weeks]): This time will fall randomly throughout the schedule to allow time for interviews, unapproved preceptorships, additional rotations and/or personal time.